1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lens-fitted photo film unit and a method of producing the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to a lens-fitted photo film unit in which aspect ratio information is provided for a photo film to be used in producing photographic prints from the photo film, and a method producing the same.
2. Description Related to the Prior Art
Photographic prints having various aspect ratios are produced and supplied commercially, for versatile attraction and enjoyment of taking photographs on the side of a user of a camera or a lens-fitted photo film unit. The aspect ratio are set based on kinds of photographic subjects and their sizes. Examples of the photographic prints are a panoramic print (89.times.252 mm), a wide-vision print (89.times.158 mm) and a C-size print (89.times.127 mm) which is the most prevalent standard print. The panoramic print is two times as long horizontally as the C-size print. The wide-vision print has an aspect ratio similar to that of high-definition television (HDTV).
To obtain the photographic prints having the various aspect ratios, there is a method in which an exposure are on photo film is restricted in the course of exposure by light-shielding plates or the like incorporated in the camera or the lens-fitted photo film unit, and the photo film having the exposure range being varied is subjected to printing operation to obtain the photographic prints of printing modes in the above-described manner. Examples of the exposure range are a panoramic exposure range (13.times.36 mm), a wide-vision exposure range (20.times.36 mm) and a C-size exposure range (24.times.36 mm).
There is a problem of high cost in the manufacture of the camera or the lens-fitted photo film unit, because the light-shielding plates and mechanism for changing over the light-shielding plates must be added to the camera or the lens-fitted photo film unit. The problem is the more serious in view of features of the compact camera or the lens-fitted photo film unit, which should be typically inexpensive and should have a simplified construction.
There is another suggestion for obtaining the photographic prints of the printing modes without adding any mechanism to the camera or the lens-fitted photo film unit. In taking exposures, all the imaging frames are recorded in the exposure range commonly determined at a fixed format. In a photo laboratory, only a restricted range inside the exposure range being fixed is printed according to each of the printing modes. Results of this approach are similar to those of the above technique where the exposure area on the photo film is varied.
To produce the photographic prints according to the printing modes from the exposure area of the single kind on the photo film, selected ones of the imaging frames for the printing modes as desired must be designated by the user and recorded by a photofinishing agent, who must accomplish extra manual operation for it. It is further likely that an operator of the photofinishing agent misreads the printing modes as designated, to produce improper photographic prints.